Warning Signs for Anorexia and Bulimia

Simply being thin or watching your weight does not automatically make you anorexic or bulimic. There are certain symptoms and signs associated with anorexia and bulimia. Your doctor will give you a physical exam to determine if you are indeed anorexic.

Several factors will play into his diagnosis.

• physical exam, which will include a thorough physical history

• blood test and urinalysis

• electrocardiogram and x-ray

• psychological evaluation

Simply being too thin isn’t enough to be considered anorexic, as there are other illnesses that can contribute to weight loss such as endocrine, metabolic, and central nervous system disorders. If you are indeed anorexic, many times any physical problems you are experiencing are a result of the anorexia, not something more serious. So distinguishing between the two is imperative.

Questions to consider if you think you or someone you love may be anorexic:

• Thinking you are fat even though everyone else thinks you’re too thin.

• Getting obsessive about exercise. Being afraid to miss a workout because you’ll gain weight.

• Gaining even a pound depresses you.

• Worrying about every bite of food you put in your mouth.

• Feeling guilty when you eat.

• Feeling you’d rather die than be fat.

• Not talking about fears of being fat or gaining weight with others.

• Planning your day around food or how you will purge it.

• Exercising obsessively so you can burn off calories.

• Not wanting to eat meals with others so they won’t force you to eat.

• Lying about what you eat.

• Afraid of not being able to stop eating once you start.

• Keeping stashes of food.

If you live with someone you suspect might be bulimic or anorexic, pay attention to how they eat.

• Are they chewing each bite of food for a long time before swallowing? Are they swallowing at all?

• Does this person excuse themselves from the dinner table frequently during a meal?

• Does their breath have a foul odor?

• Has this person lost a lot of weight frequently?

• Are they obsessed with exercise?

• Is this person taking laxatives, herbal supplements or other drugs to help speed up their metabolism or evacuate their bowels?

The key to helping a person with an eating disorder is not to be confrontational about the problem, but be aware that there might be a problem. If need be, contact your health care professional for advice on how to seek treatment.